April 25, 2017

AP: President Trump 10 for 38 in first 100 days

The Associated Press (AP) yesterday had an article saying president Trump had delivered on 10 of 38 promises for his first 100 days - not a flattering percentage, and not a flattering article:

...where's that wall? Or the promised trade punishment against China — will the Chinese get off scot-free from "the greatest theft in the history of the world"? What about that "easy" replacement for Obamacare? How about the trillion-dollar infrastructure plan and huge tax cut that were supposed to be in motion by now?

Trump's road to the White House, paved in big, sometimes impossible pledges, has detoured onto a byway of promises deferred or left behind, an AP analysis found.

Of 38 specific promises Trump made in his 100-day "contract" with voters — "This is my pledge to you" — he's accomplished 10, mostly through executive orders that don't require legislation, such as withdrawing the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal.

The talking points of the left seem to have shifted, for now, from Trump is an illegitimate president, to a tamer but possible more effective narrative - president Trump cannot deliver on his promises because the promises were way too outlandish to begin with. Facing the reality of the presidency, the postulation goes, Trump has had to pull back and try to govern like a reasonable man, given dire world circumstances.

No mention need be given to the fact that they might not be so dire had his predecessor governed like a reasonable man. Democrats are banking on the fact that Trump supporters will grow impatient and eventually disillusioned with Trump and see him as all talk no action by the time the next election rolls around. Ironically, they are in no position to be the party of no and have the REpublican congress to thank for the barriers to Trump accomplishments - at least so far.

But the new tack by Democrats gives no credit to Trump supporters' patience. There is, so far, little buyer's remorse:

While just 4 percent of Trump's supporters say they would back someone else if there was a redo of the election, fully 15 percent of Clinton supporters say they would ditch her. Trump leads in a re-do of the 2016 election 43 percent to 40 percent after losing the popular vote 46-44.

That 15 percent is split between those who say they would vote for Trump (2 percent), Gary Johnson (4 percent), Jill Stein (2 percent), and either other candidates or not vote (7 percent).

We've always considered the first 100 days as the benchmark of success for an agenda. While the AP piece clearly sells short president Trump's eventual success (using words like "abandoned"), 100 days is an artificial timeline that may not be as relevant in the Trump era as it had been in the past. There is no objective evidence that President Trump has abandon anything. His agenda is not a small potatoes to do list. Ask his supporters again at day 200. If 10 of 38 has become 20 of 38, the buyer's remorse will be even lower.